Used motor--what to buy

[swordfish25]

Looking to replace a 115 in line mariner, any sugestions? Looking at a used boat with a 96 , 115 johnson. Don`t know much about them. Would buy a used boat instead of keeping mine. I have always had mercks, good on fuel,with no problems. (older ones). I don`t know much about these newer motors.(90s and up). I do know to stay from force and chrysler. Some of the older johns & rudes were hogs on gas. I would something fairly good on gas. I have always had big power boats, and only need an outboard now. I would appricate any help. Don`t need a headache.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Used motor--what to buy

If that motor is a 60* motor, it is an excellent design, at least as good as your Merc. (oh here come the flames) It will have better hole shot, but may be a bit slower at mid-range and top end.

 

[pcrussell50]

Re: Used motor--what to buy

If that motor is a 60* motor, it is an excellent design, at least as good as your Merc. (oh here come the flames) It will have better hole shot, but may be a bit slower at mid-range and top end.

omc infight! 60deg looper?! bah! crossflow all the way, baby!

-peter

 

[swordfish25]

Re: Used motor--what to buy

How much weight difference between the 115 mariner and the 1995 , 115 johnson? I have a 84 seaox 18 foot and don`t need more weight becauge of the backwash. I don`t undrestand the cross flow and the 60* is the cyl. angle. what advantage that has.

 

[pcrussell50]

Re: Used motor--what to buy

How much weight difference between the 115 mariner and the 1995 , 115 johnson? I have a 84 seaox 18 foot and don`t need more weight becauge of the backwash. I don`t undrestand the cross flow and the 60* is the cyl. angle. what advantage that has.

the mariner 115 appears to weigh 348'ish lbs

while

the omc 115 appears to weigh a little under 300

i love omc crossflows

-peter

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Used motor--what to buy

Can't go wrong with a Johnnyrude except the fichts.
My 2 cents.

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Used motor--what to buy

The inline 6 115 weighs 285lbs and will run circles around a 115 crossflow, if looking for a Junkrude get a 60 degree looper as best of the V-4 engines made.

 

[swordfish25]

Re: Used motor--what to buy

Thanks, The boat I was looking at had a 90*crosflow I will stay away.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Used motor--what to buy

There is nothing wrong with a 90* crossflow. Johnnyrude made them for years, and the commercial guys chose to use them for decades. A 60* looper is just a better motor, IMHO, due to it's slightly higher performance and better fuel economy.

If the boat is a good deal, that motor should not send you away.

 

[pcrussell50]

Re: Used motor--what to buy

crossflow vs. looper, [and a little merc comment] ?

looper is bigger and heavier for a given power than a crossflow, BUT more fuel efficient because of the loop scavenging. looper is more complex because of the loop scavenging, possibly less reliable, and definitely more expensive to repair/overhaul than the crossflow. but don't take that the wrong way. the crossflow could well be the most reliable [and most numerous] outboard ever made, so if the looper is a little less reliable than the crossflow, it's still a very reliable motor.

don't know much about old 70's era inline-6 merc "towers"... probably because there are nowhere nearly as many of them still running as there are crossflows from the same era. seems like the few merc towers i see are part of some kind of neat restoration of an old boat and motor. whereas the 70's era crossflows you see are more likely to be workhorses in commercial or day-to-day use. crossflows are cheap to rebuild, cheap to maintain, there are TONS of parts out there, and about every town out there has at least one repair man who is a crossflow "guru", so there's no lack of expertise on the repair side of things.

-peter